updated 10:00 am EST, Mon March 8, 2010

First Panasonic 3D sets may cost 50 percent less

Panasonic on Monday revealed that its first 3D HDTVs [subscription required] should be on shelves this Wednesday with aggressive discounts. The plasma sets will get special placement at Best Buy and will also be heavily discounted compared to their Japanese versions. Where Japan's 50-inch VIERA VT2 model will cost about $4,760 in local currency, the US equivalent will sell for $2,500, or just over half the price.

The push comes as a response to a battering in the TV market. Most customers have opted for LCD TVs from companies like Samsung and Sony, which while not always as vivid as plasma have thrived on the lower costs of their displays. Panasonic hopes to revitalize its sales by adding 3D and expects that about 500,000 TVs, or about half its entire worldwide TV sales, will come from the US. [image viaImpress]